Date of Award
2003
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
EdD Program for Educational Leaders
Advisor
Gloria Kuchinskas
Committee Member
Kenneth Bush
Committee Member
Barbara Packer
Committee Member
Claudia Santin
Keywords
accountability, assessments, benchmark assessments, benchmark tests, biology, Chapman High School, compact disc, course improvement projects, course outlines, curriculum alignment, curriculum guides, curriculum standards, Education Accountability Act, end-of-course assessments, end-of-course examinations, exit examination, laboratory activities, physical science, science curriculum, science department, science standards, South Carolina, teaching materials
Abstract
This dissertation describes the process of aligning the science curriculum of Chapman High School with the South Carolina Science Curriculum Standards. This was necessary due to the state requirement that students pass an exit examination in science beginning with the graduating class of 2005.
The passage of the South Carolina Education Accountability Act of 1998 required that students pass an exit examination in science beginning with the graduating class of 2006. The act also required that students take end-of-course examinations in certain science classes beginning with biology in the school year of 2003-2004. This exit examination and the end-of-course tests are aligned to the South Carolina Curriculum Standards.
This practicum evaluated the science standards by topics and developed a curriculum, laboratory activities, and assessments for the physical science and biology classes at Chapman High School.
The practicum resulted in the creation of curriculum guides for physical science and biology that are aligned to the South Carolina Science Curriculum Standards. During the 2001-2002 school year, the science department developed these guidelines. In addition to these guides, the teachers developed benchmark tests, matched laboratory activities, developed end-of-course assessments, and developed course outlines and presentation material for teaching the classes. The benchmark assessments, end-of-course assessments, course outline, and presentation materials were incorporated into a compact disc that will be used by teachers when they teach the classes.